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“The city of Milan decided to participate to an extraordinary global event to reaffirm the centrality of fashion for the city and to support, in this hard time for economy, the whole sector, important voice of italian’s economy.”

This is how Letizia Moratti, major of Milan, announced last year the participation of the city to the Vogue Fashion’s Night Out, an international project that had place simoultaneously in many capitals like London, Paris, New York and Mumbai the night of september the 9th. What was the purpose of this event? Make common people feel closer to the fashion world.
Mission impossible? Not at all!
That night boutiques, shops, big stores and any kind of selling points prolonged their opening hours and stylists, fashion editors, models and celebrities were there, ready to show themselves available for fashion advices and much more.
“About fashion, Milan certainly got a predominant global position. That’s why Vogue Fashion’s Night Out wants to give consumers the possibility of freely entering in shops and meeting designers and celebrities in order to render fashion world more accessible and less elitarian. Major Letizia Moratti, by supporting this project, confirmed once more the importance of fashion for this city”, underlined Franca Sozzani, chief director of Vogue Italia.

Among the initiatives, the production of “limited edition” lines of clothes and accessories and the sell of benefit tees signed by designers and celebrities present at the event.

So, here we are once again: fashion élites now want to (or at least they want to look like they’re willing to) meet the “masses”, trying to create a sort of link that let people feel that what they see in magazines is real.Touch it, feel it, meet it, talk with it, appreciate it and then…buy it! And most of all, the moral was: do not fear US!
Luxury shops usually scare lots of people, who just give a look at shopping windows trying not to instaure eye-contact with perfectly dressed, snobbish shop assistants. That night those same shops were full of curious crowds that maybe will come back in future, after having understood that Devil may wear Prada, but Prada shop (& co) is not Devil!
I personally attended this event and I met many celebrities just taking a walk down Via Monte Napoleone or Via della Spiga and then stopping by for a while to have a drink at Armani’s or Versace’s…and “normal people” could get in there too!
The event had an enormous success, this is why next year it will be reproposed… As soon as I get some news about next year edition I’ll certainly write about it!

ps. That magic night I also managed to take a picture with Anna Piaggi , one of my idles, casually met in Via S.Andrea. I love Fashion Night Out!